I knew I could count on you,
Galin, to clear up the linguistic question.
Got to say though I have a purely subjective preference for the translation "enchantress", reminiscent of the feats of 'elven magic' and beguiling Lúthien performed with her hair and, very important to me, agentive in meaning, whereas "daughter of flowers" presents her as beautiful and close to nature, but nothing more - kinda lame IMO. But who am I to argue with The Man Himself?
Pervinca - oh shame on me, I had verily forgotten the fallen king with this crown of small white stars and yellow stonecrop! Thanks for reminding me. Also for the quote about Ithilien's "dishevelled dryad loveliness", one of my favourite phrases of descriptive prose in Tolkien; so evocative, isn't it?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Pervinca Took
Ithilien's fauna has all the colours of the rainbow, I think, and the Shire's certainly has ... it seems to be mainly the flowers not of our world (or Age of the world) that are white or gold (although niphredil is as near as damn it a snowdrop).
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This kind of fits an idea that has come to my mind, namely that white flowers may mark thresholds to the Otherworld - whether
niphredil in Lórien, a simulacrum of the Undying Lands where time passes differently to the outside world, or
simbelmyne on the grave mounds in Rohan and Elendil's tomb on Halifirien, bordering on the sphere of the Dead, or the Morgul flowers in the vale where the keep of the undead Wraiths guards the entrance to Mordor. Any other instances of white flowers in strange places?
Your explanation from "sanctification through suffering" works for me, too. I had never considered that Frodo might have seen Gandalf's sacrifice as a model to be followed, but it sure makes sense. Gandalf being clad in white after his resurrection in the same place where
niphedil and
elanor grow may also tie into this.
Mithadan, I believe you're referring to the Tree of Amalion, a beautiful rendering of which can be viewed
here. I think there's a connection to Niggle's Tree, especially with the Mountains in the far background on this version.
While we're on the subject of trees (a stretch, I know, but Flora encompasses all plant life, doesn't it?
),
A Description of Númenor in UT has a passage about "the evergreen and fragrant trees" growing around the bay of Eldanna, brought from the West by the visiting Eldar:
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Originally Posted by A Description of Númenor
They were the greatest delight of Númenor, and they were remembered in many songs long after they had perished for ever, for few ever flowered east of the Land of Gift: oiolairë and lairelossë, nessamelda, vardarianna, taniquelassë, and yavannamirë with its globed and scarlet fruits.
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A few lines further down it names "the mighty golden tree
malinornë" (that's a
mallorn to you and me), and on the next page "the
laurinquë in which the people delighted for its flowers, for it had no other use". Names that paint the beauty of the trees they signify with the harmony of vowels and consonants. Tolkien is to my knowledge pretty unique among fantasy authors in that he not only gave so much attention to flowers and trees but invented his own botanic nomenclature for them.